Majlis Launches Probe into Refinery Blast

TEHRAN, May 30 (ICANA) – Iran's Parliament (Majlis) says it has tasked its fact-finding mission to investigate the explosion that ripped through an oil refinery in Abadan city last Tuesday.

Monday, May 30, 2011 9:07:10 PM

“The parliament's special fact-finding committee traveled to Abadan on Monday to investigate various aspects of the refinery's explosion,” lawmaker Ali Mousavi Jorf was quoted by Mehr News Agency as saying on Monday.

The top lawmaker said Majlis has taken special interest in the incident due to the fact that “it occurred in the presence of President [Mahmoud Ahmadinejad] and its negative impact for the country was publicized by foreign media.”

On Sunday, the spokesman for the Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission ruled out any act of sabotage in the explosion and added that further investigations were underway to find any possible dereliction of duty.

At least two people were killed and 12 others were injured in the blast. Firefighters immediately brought the fire under control.

A number of the refinery employees suffered gas intoxication after toxic fumes and thick clouds of smoke cast a shadow over the refinery.

A gas leakage in one of the refinery units has been blamed as the cause of the explosion and ensuing fire.

The Abadan refinery development plan is aimed at producing premium 94 octane gasoline. Iran plans to commence large-scale gasoline exports in the near future.